Joey Magidson
You’re not likely to find many erotic/psychosexual thrillers set within a retirement community, but that’s one of the principle charms of Night Nurse, an otherwise unpleasant yet compelling experience. The movie, playing at the Sundance Film Festival, can prove upsetting, just by manner of how matter of fact it is. I had some issues with it, but at the end of the day, I’ll be thinking about the flick, and that’s worth something.
Night Nurse uses a popular scam against the elderly and utilizes it as a jumping off point for something far more psychosexual. What otherwise could have been a crime thriller instead is disturbingly erotic, though in a way that few will find titillating. It’s not an easy sit, to be sure, but it’s never once boring, despite a slower pace.
New nurse Eleni (Cemre Paksoy) has just been hired at a retirement community, one where the senior citizens live a very comfortable life. Assigned by Doctor Mann (Mimi Rogers) to work with Mona (Eleonore Hendricks) helping a difficult resident in Douglas (Bruce McKenzie), she’s immediately taken with him. While he seems like a garden variety older gentlemen in cognitive decline, he quickly reveals to Eleni that there’s more going on here.
In fact, Douglas has Mona, and soon Eleni too, participating in a scam where they pretend to be the granddaughter of an old man, calling in the middle of the night with “legal trouble” that needs financial help. While Eleni would expect to be disgusted by this, she’s instead compelled, and even turned on, despite Douglas psychologically and sexually manipulating her. So, down the rabbit hole of obbsession she goes.
Cemre Paksoy is our protagonist, though the character that’s the most compelling to watch is the one played by Bruce McKenzie. Paksoy is somewhat of a cypher, so we don’t ever learn enough about her, despite an expression of arousal and repulsion that keeps you interested in what she does next. The way McKenzie is able to move between evil and doddering grandpa is something to behold. There’s not a lot of depth here, but it’s interesting to watch. In addition to Eleonore Hendricks and Mimi Rogers, the cast also includes Karin Anglin, Colleen Rose Trundy, and more.
Filmmaker Georgia Bernstein is certainly doing something different here, which is worthy of paying attention to. Her direction is more advanced than her writing right now, which is why Night Nurse is more visually appealing than deep, but you can see how this flick is hinting at some very interesting things to come. If it ultimately ends where it kind of has to, getting to that point is far from a straight line.
Night Nurse is close to a mixed bag, though ultimately the disturbing vibe and originality of the premise rule the day. The film may be a middle of the road Sundance title overall, but considering how this has been seen as a weak festival, that still gets this one to the point of being worthy of a mild recommendation.
SCORE: ★★★
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